Grandfather's 104-headed sunflower started as a weed in his carrot patch... now it could be a record-breaker

When keen gardener Gordon Davis first spotted a rogue sunflower in his carrot patch, he was tempted to pull it up.

Three months later, the grandfather-of-four is blooming pleased that he didn't. Despite washout weather in July and August, Gordon, 70, has watched in amazement as the sunflower has continued to grow ... and grow. The plant now boasts a staggering 104 separate heads.

Flower power: Grandfather-of-four Gordon Davis was tempted to pull up the sunflower, which now has 104 separate heads, when he first spotted it in a carrot patch

He believes he's within reach of a world record as the plants usually produce just one
main flower. Gordon thinks his secret of using chicken manure may
have caused the remarkable flurry of growth.

Gordon, who lives with wife Anne, 62, in Staverton, Gloucestershire, first spotted the plant when it 'suddenly appeared' in his carrot bed in July at his allotment.

It now stands 10ft tall and boasts 103 additional flowers - from a single stem.

Gordon, a retired Severn Trent worker, said he started growing sunflowers for his young grandchildren - but has no idea where this one came from.

He said: 'As summer progressed, it just kept growing and growing.

Green fingers: Gordon Davis hopes his sunflower will reach the Guinness Book of World Records

'I've had sunflowers on the allotment before, but never this big. I didn't even water it or anything. It just grew and grew. It's really amazing.

'I saw it one day in the carrot bed and I was going to pull it up, but I'm glad I didn't.

'I often grow single headed ones for the grandchildren but this must have grown from the seed of another.'

And now he is hoping the plant will land him in the record books.

Gordon added: 'It's got to the point now where I've had to use rope to keep them tied up as, when the wind gets up, it causes havoc.